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Why Tattoo Your 4-H Livestock?
Proper identification of animals helps create an honest record keeping system. With current DNA blood typing procedures animals can be identified through parentage, but when it comes to everyday practices on the farm or ranch a good tattoo can be a huge time saver in the event of a lost ear tag.
4-H Youth Experience in Animal Projects – Purposes
4-H Youth Development must place an importance on developing “youth experience” versus “contest participation and competition."
Soybean Growers Sought for On-Farm Research Program
We want you! SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council are seeking South Dakota Soybean Growers willing to participate in a farmer-led on-farm research program.
Wet Feet in Wheat
Given the widespread wet conditions present this spring, there are many areas in winter wheat fields with both ponding and saturated (or waterlogged) soils. Producers may want to consider soil conditions and evaluate extended weather forecasts when deciding whether or not to retain a winter wheat this spring.
South Dakota Herbicide Damage
As the spray season starts, it is always good to be aware of resources and testing facilities where you can send in possible herbicide-affected plant samples. SDSU Extension offers suggestions on how to handle possible herbicide damage situations as well as recommended labs that receive plant matter samples to test for herbicide residues.
Founding a Farmers Market: Form a Planning Team
The first step to forming a new farmers market is to form a planning team. Keep the team small enough so that it is simple, small and manageable.
Soybean Production: Cost-effective pest management practices
Chemicals were one of the most expensive individual costs in soybean production, behind only to seed in the non-land cost category. The average cash-rent soybean production farms incurred a crop chemical cost of $39/ac in 2015, an 88% increase from 2010.
Limited Forage: What Are Some Alternatives?
Research has shown that a variety of feedstuffs can be utilized to meet the cows’ nutrient requirements with similar performance to hay or hay plus supplement ration.
Making Use of “Ugly” Feeds
Feed does not have to be perfect to be useful. The key to making smart feeding decisions is knowing what the imperfections are and adjusting accordingly.
Herd Management: Keep or Cull During a Drought?
Drought forces unexpected changes so it’s critical to have a strategy to keep only the “right” females that will benefit the operation.